Osh is Kyrgyzstan’s second biggest city. During the Silk road period, the city was a major hub. The Mongols smashed it in the 13th century, but Osh recovered and prospered like never before. Its bazar is still the longest of … Continue reading→

We discovered the Pamir Mountains inTajikistan, a fantastic playground for trekking, climbing and mountaineering. Endless valleys succeed to high plateaus at 4000m high and beyond. Sharing the same roots as Iranians, Pamiris also have a deep sense of hospitality, despite … Continue reading→

Yet another ex-USSR republic, but again a national hero taken from an historic figures, a ruler. Here it’s Ismail Samani, a Samanid (Persian). In Uzbekistan was Timur (Tamerlan) the Mongol. But still a shared culture and identity that Stalin artificially … Continue reading→